Bronze Musical Instruments Design · 2020
Zikit Diameter Change Mechanism
by Oz Shenhar and Boaz Ken-Dror
- A' Design Award 2020 Bronze Winner in Musical Instruments Design
- Awarded April 15, 2020
- CLIENT: Zikit Drums
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 59,726
- Verification code 9112511667 · Verify this award
About Zikit Diameter Change Mechanism
The drum is an exciting music instrument, but they are also the only musical instrument that has one pitch!!! A multiplayer drummer cannot play Rock Reggae and Jazz using the same snare drum.
Zikit Drums designed a mechanism that provides drummers a versatility playing experience without being bound to a specific music style by changing the diameter of the snare drum in real-time.
Zikit designed to augment possibilities for drummers and giving them new acoustic opportunities in creating unique content.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- Zikit is an add-on device that can be installed in any 14" snare drum. It provides internal sleeves that sit under the drum head. Those sleeves can be controlled very accurately by the drummer. By moving them vertically up to the drum head they press on it from underneath. This action changes the "field" of the drum head, which makes the pitch go higher.
This action is so important for drummers since they can have the possibility to be the "designers" of their own identical sound.
This action happens instantly, and without changing anything in the original playing experience. - Dimensions & Packaging
- Suits all types of snare drums
Extremely easy to fit and remove
A real-time diameter change mechanism
Design your unique sounds
Smooth and responsive action gear drive
Minimalistic low weight design
Fits 10/8 lugs snare drums
Compatible with all brands and materials
Brilliant design made by superior quality and durability materials
Game changer drumming experience
Maximum versatility
6mm-thick, seamless extruded acrylic shell
Laser-engraved logo
Custom Zikit die-cast lugs - Tags
- Zikit Drums, A real-time diameter change mechanism, game changer drumming experience, Extremely easy to fit and remove
- Production Technology
- Most branded drum factories are using the classic combination of wood/metal shell and chrome finished hardware. Zikit Drums minimalistic design followed this concept to be naturally fit any existing drum.
- Design Challenge
- The most difficult challenge was to find the right configuration in which drummers will not have to change anything in their traditional playing experience and at the same time to give them a cool and good looking versatile device.
- Project Duration
- Zikit was founded on Nov-2018
- Operation Flow
- Installing Zikit is really quite easy.
The process shouldn’t take more than just a few minutes
First, take off both drum heads and place the Zikit jig gently on the top bearing edge.
Then tighten it from both shell sides to set the handle hinge, and adjust the handle gear using the supplied screw.
Turn your snare drum upside down and then take the pro-kit and slide it inside the snare drum shell. Use the supplied Hex key to tighten the clamps to the shell. You then turn the snare drum up, and take off the spacers and place the drum heads back in position.
It’s time now for an awesome new drumming experience. - Research
- Oz was an amateur drummer as a teenager. After working in several design studios and startups he decided to combine his skills as an innovator and his love for this exciting musical instrument - the drums.
Knowing that the best test for a new product is to get the end-user feedback, Oz traveled with the first prototype, meeting leading drummers across the globe, and after few months of collecting feedback, he came up with the best engineering solutions for each of the product challenges. - Inspiration
- Zikit solution inspired by the guitar frets where you can easily change your music style by setting your fingers differently on the guitar neck. Frets are a simple minimalistic, and ongoing solution that became a part of the musician's body language. Part of the design mission was to eliminate the problem without changing anything in the original playing experience of the drummer.
- Image Credits
- Main Image & images 1-4: 3D simulation and NetArt
All videos: 3D simulation and North Point Studio - Patents
- Patent No. US20190213982A1
Colors of Zikit Diameter Change Mechanism
Design Interview about Zikit Diameter Change Mechanism
Drummers are the only musicians that should be very creative in getting their music instrument to be versatile.
In guitar, for example, there are millions of sound combinations. In a drum, there is only one single pitch.
Zikit wanted to give drummers instrument a chameleon nature, to be able to change their music instrument according to the music they want to create.
In guitar, for example, there are millions of sound combinations. In a drum, there is only one single pitch.
Zikit wanted to give drummers instrument a chameleon nature, to be able to change their music instrument according to the music they want to create.
There were some mechanical options to solve this problem. Still, only the one we chose could get as far, to be minimalistic, and give drummers this natural feel that nothing in their traditional music experience is changed.
My only goal from day one is trying to answer all the end-user needs.
about 3 years
The drum industry almost stayed the same since the invention of the drum kit. Since I think that it is a very exciting instrument, I was wondering if this is a natural way, and drums are just so perfect and simple product, or is there a way to discover new abilities in the same traditional acoustic instrument.
Right now, I am happy to have both options. I just hope that this product will find its best way to the end-user.
I love the combination of design for a function and craft. There are many issues in music instruments that need to be considered since any decision will be "heard." There are many limitations in choosing the right solution, and I just love this process of reaching the perfect combination of great design and high-end instruments.
I must say that there were not so many innovations in the drum industry related to Zikit products. I am surrounded by some talented and creative minds, like my mechanical engineer Boaz Ken-Dror, which helped make this concept a reality.
Drummers!!!
The closest concept to Zikit design is electronic drums. They also give versatility in the sound. I don't say that there is something wrong with electronic drums, only that we see that they got into a nitch of practicing. Most drummers need this natural feel of the acoustic drums, and Zikit gives them a versatility option in this natural acoustic tool.
Zikit, in my native language, is chameleon. I just wanted to give drummers the option to change their musical instruments according to what they want to play. This mission had to be achieved by getting under the drum skin :)
The best design tool is getting some end-users to be experienced in the project.
I keep teling myself that there is nothing regarding to me in this project, it is all regarding the end-user.
I mentioned my mechanical designer Boaz Ken-Dror. I also got significant support from Dennis Chambers - one of the best drummers of all time.
Finally this is a simple product. There was a significant process to make it simple (and reliable). We use high end materials, that gives minimalistic definitions to Zikit Product.
We asked 30 drummers, from different styles what they think about our prototype, and this was our best research.
Woohoohoo, there were so many. Too heavy, mechanical parts that make nice while moving, mechanisms that block the natural sound, very uncomfortable installation.
We were back from a big conference, as a promising product for the industry, and just right after, COVID-19 started.
We didn't want to hold and see what will happen, so we decided to approach other goals that we didn't have the time for. The A Design Award was definitely something we wanted to achieve.
We didn't want to hold and see what will happen, so we decided to approach other goals that we didn't have the time for. The A Design Award was definitely something we wanted to achieve.
I learned how to listen to the process and get the right decisions regarding all aspects, Design, mechanical abilities, limitations, abilities.
Yes. The design process is dynamic. We, as designers, should be flexible enough to hear the natural needs of the product design.